Kung Fu Salute

Help me out, and apologies if this has been discussed before.

You know the traditional palm to fist salute common to many CMA?

What explanation have you for it's origins please?

isnt it supposed to represent a fist being covered, as in you mean no harm to the person? Or something like that.

That's one version I've heard. Also that it's a representation of yin and yang. I've also heard an explanation that has it as a stylised block and strike.

I've heard lots over the years!

One version that is used in the old days goes similar to this

Source: There is an old saying of "When speaking, identify with 3. hands/arms always forms a circle" The second part is the "rule" for those salutes

Action: Right hand forms a fist. Left hand forms a palm with the thumb tucked in and fingers stretched out. The arms makes more or less a circle.

Explaination: 4 fingers sticking out means friends from all four seas (analogy for the world) Thumb tucked in represents you're being humble. The fist shows that you are making friends as a martial artist. Hand over it means you mean no harm. And the circular arms means that the world is encompassed and you see everyone as friends.


Something like that.
I am not sure about the closed finger one though


edit:

Oh, and I remember another version where the two hands doesn't touch at all ( Used by Hung Gar, CLF and Dragons stylists ). It says that the palm represents the moon and the fist represents the sun. Putting both together greats the chinese character of "Ming" which is the name of the Ming dynasty. It represents the anti-qing ideology of the MA people of the time. Although I would question this as (1) A wushu person told me this, (2) There is actually a practical combat-related explaination for the action in the first place.

That last bit's closer to what I remember Chinwooer, thanks.

Anyone else?

Quote:

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Originally posted by Chinwoo-er
Oh, and I remember another version where the two hands doesn't touch at all ( Used by Hung Gar, CLF and Dragons stylists ).

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Careful with your generalisations. I know that not all HungGar and CLF people do like you described, don't know about Dragon.

my apologies

Although I have yet to see HG and CLF people not use them, I admit there is a possiblity they exist

Trust me, I know for certain! ;)

Of course, they use the palm and fust salute, but not seperated as you described.

here's a couple-

It used to be that this was a common gesture in Chinese culture, only that it was right hand covering left fist. It was changed later by the martial artists to facilitate the right hand be able to hold a weapon as many were right handed.

The gesture not only represents the famous "oust the ching/restore the ming" of the secret societies, but also has meaning in the symbology displayed by the hands. IE:

The fist represents the "warrior spirit", while the open hand laid over top represents a roof and covers the fist to show the "cultured man". The cultured man over the warrior spirit represents "peace".

More recently it has simply become a hand salute that signifies that your style is a chinese martial art and there are further modifications that indicate which school or pai you belong to.

cheers

I may be way off here (wouldn't be the first time) but I seem to remember watching something on the Discovery Channel ("Shaolin Warriors", I think) where they would bow raising only the right open palm to their chest. There explaination for this was that some high up monk had his left arm chopped off in a battle and this was done to honor him. Now how accurate this is, I am not sure.

Perhaps it will be one again and I can pay more attention this time.

The story GT is referring to is about Monk Hui Ke, who stood deep in the snow outside the cave in which monk Bodhidharma sat in deep meditation. The young monk pleaded to be taken as the sage's disciple. The old monk said, "Not until the Heaven makes the snow red."

Monk Hui Ke cut off one of his arms and the blood dyed the snow red. Needless to say, Bodhidharma took him as a disciple. Later he succeeded monk Bodhidharma as the abbot.

While that story sounds nice, I believe Shaolin uses the one-hand bow to demonstrate neutrality in political affairs.

fist= obvious
cover=control

What I learned from my master which I didn't know before is how useful that shape really is and that, by how high you hold the slatute translates your intention.

No respect, want to fight, hold it low at waist in general, come on gesture. That's where my lead fist is usually, but the cover hand comes up to chin area when actually battling.

About chest to chin hight for training brothers, martial artist you consider equals.

Higher, about knose hight for someone you respect. You'd be covering that high if you were worried about them anyway.

Again though, that shape is important. Very powerful, good leverage. A great foundation.

Did you try a search?
Northern Shaolin schooled us all a while back (I believe).:D

I'll see if I can dig it up.

Salute threads:
thread one

thread two

Or just rummage through the search for salute

I was told the shield of wisdom (left) covers the fist of the warrior (right).
:)

Quote:

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Originally posted by Serpent


Careful with your generalisations. I know that not all HungGar and CLF people do like you described, don't know about Dragon.

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White Dragon dose not do it that way, either. We do the hand over fist one.

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